This is Lynn. No signage letting you know the street sweeping schedule. Maybe, if you know where to look on the city website, you avoided parking in certain areas. No, we believe in the power of now, the power of free speech, the power the megaphone. What are you still doing in bed? Wake up or you’ll get a ticket!

It’s Spring cleaning season, Earth Week. And there’s more than one or two volunteer activities going on this weekend and later in May and June, not all of them having to do with our environment.

First, plan your Saturday, April 24th, to include some cleanup and beautification of one of our city’s wonderful assets. Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach is meeting at the Ward Bathhouse at 9:00 a.m. to clean the flower beds around the bathhouse and re-sand the adjacent children’s playground in celebration of DCR’s Park Serve Day. The Ward Bathhouse is located on the beach near the Nahant Rotary. The supplies will be provided by the DCR and the Friends will have free T-shirts and refreshments for all volunteers. Note: Ward Bath House will be re-opened for this season!

You could also opt for helping out at Lynn’s largest green space:

Later in the day (3:00 pm), come by the Beyond the Classroom–An Alternative to Violence meeting at the IUE Hall located at 112 Exchange St. in Lynn. And don’t forget the Cambodian New Year Celebration at the Buddhist Temple on 110 Chestnut St. from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Last Friday, the Khmer community was recognized by the city of Lynn for the first time in 20 years in a flag raising cerermony in front of City Hall. (See previous post on this blog.)

On Monday, April 26th, come out to the Tides Restaurant in Nahant between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. and have dinner with the East Lynn Community Association. ELCA will receive 10% of the proceeds for the entire restaurant and bar during that time. They will also hold a 50/50 raffle.

In cooperation with the Lynn DPW, please come to the Henry Ave. Park Hoop Celebration and Spring Cleaning on Saturday, May 1st at 11AM up at the Park. Rake up some trash (or supervise), play some hoops (or just watch the kids enjoy themselves), but please come and see your Neighbors and discuss what you would like to see at the Park in the future.

On Sunday, May 2nd, Lara Goodman makes her Run for Lynn at the Cox Sports Providence Marathon to raise money for ELCA! You still can make a gift at Running for Lynn or ELCA’s website. One hundred percent of your gift goes directly to ELCA.

They’re asking for your support, but what is the ELCA doing for you? Come to their May 5th meeting at Temple Ahabat Sholom at 7:00 p.m. where they will be pre-registering participants for a “Clean Sweep to the Sea” on June 12. The meeting will also feature speakers with successful experience in urban renewal projects. Wendy Joseph and Antonio Gutierrez are Lynn residents who spearheaded the clean up of Henry Avenue Park, once a haven for gangs in the Highlands. Jamie Marsh is director of Lynn’s Office of Economic and Community Development.

The “Clean Sweep” is a citywide cleanup on June 12 co-sponsored by the ELCA and Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach. It will conclude with a cookout and two live bands at Red Rock Park for participants.

This list is not exhaustive. There are plenty of other civic, art and community events going on in Lynn. Visit any of the blogs or links to resources on the blogroll on the right to find out more. Fellow bloggers and readers, don’t be afraid to add your own upcoming events in the comments below or email me with more information. The more people that know, the better.